Property Management Security Services
Overseeing security services is an ever-important aspect of almost any property manager's job.
This can be for a residential property like an apartment, gated community, or dormitory or a commercial facility like a warehouse, mall, or parking garage.
Every building needs some sort of fire alarm and security system in place, but properly establishing and maintaining property management security services demands that you know what you’re looking for. Whether it’s for property management security in Colorado, Illinois, or elsewhere, we’ll help you narrow down the best security services for your property’s needs.
We’re Trained to Monitor Properties
Why Security Is Important
Systems like fire alarms are crucial for property management security for a multitude of reasons. From fires to theft, there are countless threats to consider for your property. Whether you’re preparing for the worst or are already encountering problems with your property, our thorough and informed services ensure safe and secure property management at every step.
Theft
Theft is one of the biggest security concerns in property management, especially for commercial properties and properties with tenants. According to the FBI, burglary accounted for 16.1% and motor vehicle theft accounted for 10.4% of all property crimes in 2019, with larceny-theft accounting for the other 73.4%. Depending on the property type, theft may occur after business
hours if the building is empty, via unmonitored entrances, or by other tenants within a multitenant residential property. Thorough theft prevention security will not only help counteract theft when it happens, but it may even help prevent theft altogether if potential criminals know they’ll get caught.
Property damage from vandalism is another major concern for property managers, especially with vacated structures. Maintaining thorough and monitored security systems with proper postage should
Fire Damage
Fires can occur due to property failures, unattended candles and fireplaces, smoking inside, appliance problems, intentional means, and countless other variables. Enabling and maintaining thorough fire and security systems such as fire alarms, sprinklers, and cameras will keep your property as protected as possible and ideally keep incidents from escalating.
Fire damage is often a worst-case scenario in property damage. Fortunately, our understanding of and ability to prevent fires have only improved over the last 50 years. So long as they’re properly maintained, most modern fire alarm systems can dependably isolate property damage as much as possible and protect lives.
Safety Threats
From fires to natural disasters to the actions of individuals, there are endless security threats to be prepared for when managing property. On average, occupants only have three minutes to safely escape a property in the event of a fire. This means every second between when a flame begins to spread and when the smoke hits your fire alarm system matters and could be the difference between life and death. These same rules apply to other emergency scenarios, such as floods, active shooters, terrorism, and extreme weather conditions
Comfort and Security
It may not be at the forefront of priorities, but peace of mind is important for property management. A thorough security system for property managers should keep all tenants or employees of the property feeling safe and relaxed. This makes a big difference for any business, but especially for residential properties. Most importantly, those of us in charge of property management can sleep soundly knowing we have eyes and sprinklers over almost every square foot.
Liability
While nothing will prevent theft or property damage entirely, having a high-quality security system in place will help you identify and report incidents and potentially take legal action. Furthermore, it will help you identify any problems with the property, such as how a fire is starting or where intruders are breaking in.
Additionally, keeping both your security and fire alarm systems up to date will keep you compliant. This means that, in the event of property damage, theft, or another problematic scenario, the parties involved generally won’t be able to hold you legally responsible.
Care Center Security
How to Best Utilize Your Security Services
It’s not enough to simply purchase and install a security system. Fire alarm systems and property management security services are at their best when their setup is planned ahead and their standards are followed throughout their use. Additionally, finding dependable security services like Alarm Detection Systems (ADS) ensures you stayed protected and informed.
Assess your Landscape
Every property will need different levels of security and fire alarm systems based on their specific structure, design, and use. For example, a residential building with several exits will demand far more exterior cameras than a commercial building with only two entrances, and a building with a large banquet room will require a more detailed fire alarm and sprinkler system than a building with standard ~100 square foot rooms.
Some of the most important aspects of your property to consider are:
- Size
- Number of entrances and exits
- Potential fire hazards
- Fire escape routes (or lack thereof)
- Number and location of bedrooms, if applicable
- Accessibility to the property's exterior
- Spots where cameras can be placed that can capture license plates, faces, and other identifying features if crime is a concern
- Postage of security camera use, if applicable
Communicate the Plan
How exactly you communicate security plans differs by property and situation, but no matter how you do it, security plans from fire escape routes to what to do in an active shooter situation need to be communicated. In emergencies, people need to know the best exits, where actively monitored cameras are located, and where to find important tools such as fire extinguishers or personal protection equipment.
For many properties, like apartments, this can be as simple as posting a fire escape route and emergency response plan by the main entrances. For other properties, like schools and businesses, these plans should be verbally communicated and potentially demonstrated to regular occupants and employees. This way, in the event of an emergency at a business, employees who know the plan can guide customers and guests to safety without wasting any precious moments.
Keep Everything Up to Date
When it comes to secure property management, letting things fall even a day behind can be catastrophic. Sprinkler systems, fire alarm systems, and security camera memory banks, for example, need to be constantly working, but if you don’t check them, you may not realize the fault until a fire spreads or until a security camera isn’t able to record a criminal offense. Specific regulations may vary by state. For example, property management security in Illinois will need to check their fire alarm and sprinkler systems at least once every year. However, state and federal regulations should be considered a minimum standard of care. Fire and sprinkler systems should likely be checked more than once per year, especially for properties with high fire risks.
High-Security for Properties
We're Here to Ensure a Safe and Secure Property
Additionally, for high-security properties like schools, apartments, and large businesses, any online databanks of students, tenants, or employees should be regularly updated. Even the most advanced security services can be difficult to follow if your system isn’t organized or you don’t know what you’re doing.
At Alarm Detection Systems, we don’t just offer some of the leading fire alarm and security systems for property managers — we’re also dedicated to keeping you in the loop on the best ways to operate and maintain your property management security services. Keeping yourself informed from the day you set up your security service through the day you take it down is the only true way to manage a safe and secure property.